Man who set himself on fire at National Mall dies of horrific burns as police struggle to identify him or find his motive

  

A man who set himself on fire in Washington DC'sNational Mall on Friday afternoon died of his injuries last night, police said.

The man's burns were so severe that he has still not been identified, and authorities will have to use DNA and dental records to trace him.

He had poured a can of gasoline on himself in the center of the mall and then set himself on fire at about 4.20pm, as passing joggers tried to douse the flames.

Police said he had been conscious and breathing when he was airlifted to MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

Possible motives for the self-immolation are being investigated, but Lieutenant Pamela Smith said she was unaware that he carried any signs or had articulated a cause. 

Witness Katy Scheflen said she saw a tripod up near the man but that she did not hear him say anything intelligible before he set himself on fire.

It was also unclear if the man was filming the incident.

Some reports say that two male bystanders initially tried to put the fire out using their own shirts while others put the number of Good Samaritans at closer to five or six people. 

'I didn't hear a word from him,' witness Adam Stifel told CNN. 'He had already doused himself with gasoline, I saw his gas can.'

The incident took place near the Air and Space Museum and although his motive is not known the chosen location hints that it was a demonstration. 

The Mall is a national park, making it one of the hundreds of such sites across the country that have been closed as a result of the government shutdown. 

U.S. Park Police sources told MailOnline that the shutdown didn't play into the rescue.

'There is no indication that the government shutdown impacted the way anyone responded to this. DC Fire/EMS had people on the scene in, literally, three minutes, and a helicopter transport was there minutes later,' the source told MailOnline.

'We are the lead agency in this investigation, but it will be awhile before we give out details to anyone.'

The incident comes one day after a woman was killed by police after she rammed her car into a barricade leading to the White House.

SCRIPTURES

DEUT. 32:21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which isnot God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

ECCLESIASTICUS 16:6 In the congregation of the ungodly shall a fire be kindled; and in a rebellious nation wrath is set on fire.

7 He was not pacified toward the old giants, who fell away in the strength of their foolishness.

8 Neither spared he the place where Lot sojourned, but abhorred them for their pride.

ECCLESIASTICUS 39:28 There be spirits that are created for vengeance, which in their fury lay on sore strokes; in the time of destruction they pour out their force, and appease the wrath of him that made them.

29 Fire, and hail, and famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance;